In the
fall, Madison Prep forward Jarell Martin and Prime Prep (Dallas) forward Jordan
Mickey will be teammates when LSU basketball hits the floor. However, the two
had the chance to join forces last week in practice and then on Friday night as
a part of the Kentucky Derby Festival Basketball Classic in Louisville.

Both
players had strong performances in the game with Martin scoring 20 points while
shooting 9-of-11 from the field, including going 2-of-2 from 3-point range,
while Mickey had eight points, nine rebounds, four blocks and two steals. Also,
each LSU signee had one of the games signature highlights.

Martin
threw down a strong two-handed slam on Indiana signee Collin Hartman while
Mickey had a chase-down block of Devin Davis, another Hoosiers signee that drew
some of the loudest cheers of the night from the Freedom Hall crowd.

KDF
Basketball Classic co-recruiting chair Mike Gandolfo raved about the 6-foot-9
Martin, who says he's up to 240 pounds, and the 6-foot-7 Mickey.

"I was
amazed at how agile Jarell was," Gandolfo said. "I knew he was a force down low
but in practice he showed off some spin moves and dribbled the ball really
well. He's a no-brainer as a pro player."

Martin
finished the game with five rebounds and felt like he could have been more
aggressive going after the boards but said he was pleased with his game
overall. He was also excited to get a chance to play with Mickey.

"I just
tried to show people my overall game," Martin said. "Most people see me as just
a center but I wanted to show off my versatility. It was a fun experience to
play with (Mickey). We had a great time together."

Gandolfo
said Mickey's block was still being talked about long after all of the
prospects headed home.

"That
(block) was just crazy," he said. "That got one of the biggest reactions from
the crowd. He really looks good. He probably had the best defensive instincts
of anyone in the game."

Mickey
didn't show much of an offensive game away from the basket but showed off his
athleticism with several dunks. The guard play allowed the floor to open up and
gave Mickey an avenue to show off his skill set while running the floor and
attacking the rim.

Martin
wasn't the only Madison Prep representative at the game. Martin's coach, Jeff
Jones, was on hand to coach Martin and Mickey's team.

"We were
so excited to have Coach Jones with us," Gandolfo said. "He's been very
successful. We paired him with AW Hamilton of Hargrave Military Academy and
they hit it off really well. I know Coach Jones put in some effective inbounds
plays. They had a really talented team and it was tough to balance the minutes
out."